Call it the revenge of the nerds. At a splashy debut on Monday, BMW rolled out the BMW i3, an electric car with enough Internet-connected amenities that the company bills it as the "world's first fully networked electrically powered car."

Though roundly ridiculed when it debuted in 1995, Microsoft Bob, or something resembling the short-lived on-screen assistant, will ultimately return, vowed Bill Gates, co-founder and chairman of Microsoft.

Car-tech fans are going to see more HUDs in the future, and we're not talking Paul Newman movies or federal agencies. HUD is short for heads-up or head-up display, a device that projects information onto the windshield of a car.

The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.

My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.

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